Supports 1 fact
Missing Air Crew Report 6151
Military Record · United States Army Air Forces · 1944 · Missing Air Crew Reports
Sortie2BDB-24Missing in Action
Unidentified ship.Over Genshagen (Berlin industrial area).
Mission 425 · 20 June 1944
Aboard
6
men
The crew.
§ 6 aboard
Name
Position
Serial
Hometown
On this flight
1LtElwyn H. Shaw
Pilot
Station 1
O-693705
—
Returned
→
2LtCarl G. Heskamp
Co-Pilot
Station 2
O-700929
—
Returned
→
2LtRobert L. Traut
Navigator
Station 3
O-708157
—
Killed in action
Returned
→
S/SgtJohn C. Rudisill
Engineer / Top Turret
Station 5
12165742
—
Returned
→
James C. Curtis
Waist Gunner
Station 8
19069360
—
Returned
→
SgtWesley P. Coats
Nose Gunner
16115540
—
Returned
→
In their own words.
§ 6 entries
Elwyn H. ShawPilot
1st Lt. Elwyn H. Shaw was the pilot of aircraft 030-T, 328th Bomb Squadron, 93rd Bomb Group, on the mission to Genshagen (Berlin) on 20 June 1944. His aircraft was hit by flak over the target and lost two engines. Shaw turned toward Sweden with engines #3 and #4 feathered. The aircraft was last seen at 53°40N 14°10E at 18,000 feet at 1015 hours and did not return. His next of kin was his father, Mr. Edward B. Shaw, 2416 Hogg Avenue, Madison, Wisconsin.
Carl G. HeskampCo-Pilot
2nd Lt. Carl G. Heskamp served as co-pilot on Lt. Shaw's crew, 328th Bomb Squadron, 93rd Bomb Group. He was aboard the aircraft when it went missing on 20 June 1944 during the mission to Genshagen (Berlin). His next of kin was his father, Mr. George Heskamp, Spearville, Kansas. The MACR crew list includes a handwritten annotation "H 7/5/44" next to his name, suggesting a casualty status update as of that date.
Robert L. TrautNavigator
2nd Lt. Robert Leo Traut Jr. served as navigator on Lt. Shaw's crew, 328th Bomb Squadron, 93rd Bomb Group. He was aboard the aircraft on the 20 June 1944 mission to Genshagen (Berlin). The MACR crew list bears the annotation "KTH 7/5/44" next to his name, indicating he was killed through hostile action with an effective date of 5 July 1944. His next of kin was his wife, Mrs. Robert L. Traut Jr., 658 Hawthorne Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio.
John C. RudisillEngineer / Top Turret
S/Sgt. John C. Rudisill served as engineer on Lt. Shaw's crew, 328th Bomb Squadron, 93rd Bomb Group. He was aboard the aircraft on the 20 June 1944 mission to Genshagen (Berlin) when it went missing. No status annotation appears next to his name on the MACR. His next of kin was his father, Dr. William A. Rudisill, 229 Chapman Place, Elmira, New York.
James C. CurtisWaist Gunner
S/Sgt. James C. Curtis served as right waist gunner on Lt. Shaw's crew, 328th Bomb Squadron, 93rd Bomb Group. He was aboard the aircraft on the 20 June 1944 mission to Genshagen (Berlin). The MACR crew list is annotated "RTD" next to his name, indicating he returned to duty. His next of kin was his mother, Mrs. Josephine L. Guyton, Post Office Box 593, Sparks Washoe, Nevada.
Wesley P. CoatsNose Gunner
Sgt. Wesley P. Coats served as nose gunner on Lt. Shaw's crew, 328th Bomb Squadron, 93rd Bomb Group. He was aboard the aircraft on the 20 June 1944 mission to Genshagen (Berlin) when it went missing. No status annotation appears next to his name on the MACR. His next of kin was his father, Mr. Harry W. Coats, Box 58, Milton Junction, Wisconsin.
The flight.
§ Ship’s Record
The Day
Took off fromHardwick (Sta. 104)
The Record
ResultMissing in Action
Record confidenceValidated against a source
Fuel & Equipment
H2X scope photoNo
The target.
§ As Briefed
Genshagen (Berlin industrial area)
As the log wrote itGenshagen (Berlin industrial area)
Notes.
§ From the Record
Lt. Shaw's aircraft (030-T) was hit by flak over the target on 20 June 1944 during a mission to the Genshagen tank works in the Berlin industrial area. Engine #4 was knocked out by flak. Shaw turned the aircraft toward Sweden. When last seen by witnesses at 53°40N 14°10E at 1015 hours, the aircraft was at 18,000 feet with both engines #3 and #4 feathered. The aircraft went out of sight on that heading and did not return. The MACR was prepared by 2nd Lt. Andrew M. Pinckney, Intelligence Officer, and dated 24 June 1944. Witnesses who last sighted the aircraft were 2nd Lt. Clarence R. Stempley (O-429888) and Capt. Norman A. Roggenkamp (O-799463).
Read the records.
1 document
Original documents behind what this page says about this sortie — reports, records, and histories the archive holds and is free to reproduce. Check the sources for yourself.
Sources.
§ Provenance
United States Army Air Forces · National Archives and Records Administration · 1944
Official record